By: Hee-Dee Walenga
Founder and Chairperson of the Kavango West Cycling Club, Karukango Matheus Kambuta, sat down with The Villager to discuss how he took it upon himself to grow the sport of cycling in the North Eastern region.
Kambuta, who hails from the Gcwagi Village, began cycling back in 2005.
For almost two decades, Kambuta used cycling as his primary mode of transportation.
Until he met a woman in Windhoek in 2022 who told him about cycling for sport.
“I said okay, but I am from Kavango West; we don’t have such competitions, how can I join?” Kambuta wondered.
The woman put him in touch with Laban Amadhila, who is the Cycling Development Officer and Coach at the Physically Active Youth (PAY) Namibia center and a pillar of the Namibian cycling community.
Amadhila facilitated Kambuta’s participation in the 2022 Nedbank Cycle Challenge, where he finished in 10th place using a bicycle from the PAY center.
The following year, Kambuta took three separate hikes, with his bicycle, from Kavango West to Otjiwarongo, to Walvis Bay, and to Swakopmund, where he surprised everyone by finishing second in a competition.
“In Kavango, people don’t see cycling as a sport. So, it is difficult to get sponsorship. You have to stand on your own. The people I met at the competition in Swakopmund really encouraged me. They are the ones who told me to form a club so that I come with a whole team at the next competition,” Kambuta explained.
Kambuta followed the advice and formed the Kavango West Cycling Club in February of 2023. The club currently has 25 members and serves both Kavango regions. Nine of the members are under the age of 18. Membership fees are N$270 per year.
CHALLENGES
“People want to join, but they don’t have bicycles,” the founder stated. “Then you get some people who want to join but not for the sake of sport. They want to join to get something like money or gifts from the club,” Kambuta said.
Kambuta also explained that securing sponsorship for events has been a major challenge as well.
“You will find all the major institutions operating here in the Kavango West, but when we write them letters for sponsorship, they say they have to send it to Windhoek, and then we don’t ever hear from them again,” Kambuta lamented.
“The only support we have gotten so far is from Cymot. They sponsored us with two bikes, medals, and helmets for one of our events. The rest, nothing,” Kambuta stated.
Kambuta also identified infrastructure as a challenge. He explained that there are little to no areas for cyclists to participate in the sport. “On the tar road, there is no space for cyclists, and the drivers do not see us as part of the traffic. They hoot and scream at us. It’s dangerous,” he said.
Kambuta explained how standard event features such as transport and water points are a major challenge in the region.
“Our events usually only have men in them because they have the stamina to ride from their village to the event location. There is a guy who rides 62KM from his village to the race. Do you expect that same person to seriously compete,” Kambuta questioned.
PROGRESS
Kambuta stated that the community is warming up to the sport of cycling, with each event generating more buzz in the community.
Kambuta identified Kufuna Alpheus, Kamina Patrick, Karukango Olavi, and Denzel Kalfeld as emerging talents from the region. Although they are emerging talents, they still do not have the appropriate bicycles to compete at the high level.
“I just want people to help us,” Kambuta concluded.
The club will be hosting a long-distance cycling competition on 9 September 2026. More details on the event will be shared in the near future.
